The present invention relates in general to stringed musical instruments and pertains, more particularly, to an improved string tuning and fastening apparatus preferably employed at the head of the stringed instrument and for providing both improved clamping of each string individually, and improved fine adjustment of the tension of each string individually.
In a conventional guitar or other string instrument, the adjustment of the strings is usually accomplished at the head of the instrument and this adjustment means usually comprises a series of pegs or keys which are rotatable for individually varying the tension on each string. The peg typically has a hole through which the string must be passed and tied. However, the problem is that the string tends to slip on the peg and there is usually a need for continuous adjustment of the individual strings. Furthermore, with the conventional arrangement, each of the strings is tied to its associated peg or key at a relatively long distance from the instrument nut and there is a bending of the string near the peg or key. This is undesirable in that there may well be unequal tensions in the string on opposite sides of the nut due to friction at the nut. In accordance with the present invention it is preferred to have the clamping of the string occur by an improved clamping member wherein the clamping occurs relatively close to the nut with each string being clamped so as to cause little or no bending of the string near the clamp.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved fastening and tuning arrangement for use with a stringed musical instrument and which alleviates the prior art problems typically associated with the use of a conventional adjusting lug, peg or key.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tuning and securing member characterized by an improved clamping wedge that provides clamping along a short segment of the string close to the nut. This "short segment" clamping concept is employed preferably in accordance with the present invention in combination with a means for longitudinally displacing the clamping member such as by the use of an elongated support piece for carrying the clamping member. Also, in accordance with the invention the clamping member preferably tightens on a forced-wedge principle as the tension is increased to automatically increase the locking force of the member to the associated string.
Various types of tuning, adjusting, and securing members are disclosed in such prior art patents as Leger U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,552; Walder U.S. Pat. No. 2,241,284; Jauch U.S. Pat. No. 2,322,137; Oettinger U.S. Pat. No. 1,431,250; Schlemmer U.S. Pat. No. 974,095; and Smith, et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,696. These patents all typically show string support means that employ some type of a pivot arrangement. For example, see the Oettinger and Jauch patents. It does not appear from any of these prior art patents that they teach the concept of the present invention of longitudinally clamping the string without causing bending in the tensioned portion of the string, particularly in combination with the longitudinal movement of the clamping mechanism to provide fine tuning. Furthermore, many of these patents teach an adjusting feature, not at the head of the instrument but instead at the base of the instrument. It is noted that in both the Jauch and Oettinger patents that the adjustment is provided at the body of the instrument and not at the fingerboard end.
Thus, another object in accordance with the present invention is to provide an individual string tuning member adapted for replacement of conventional tuning pegs and the like mounted at the head of the instrument and wherein each of the strings is longitudinally clamped at a position closely adjacent to the nut of the instrument.